His mother sighed, with that tone that mixed reproach and affection. “It’s ten in the evening, you know? You need to eat something.”
Aster looked at his phone screen and realized she was right. “Alright, Mom,” he said, returning to the conversation. “I’ll go prepare something right away, I promise.”
After ending the call, Leonardo got up from his bed and prepared a quick dinner, eating in silence while his thoughts swirled in his mind. He couldn’t get Gelsomina’s tears and the orc’s cruel grin out of his head.
Later, lying in bed, he picked up one of his favorite fantasy novels. But no matter how hard he tried to immerse himself in the story, the words seemed to slip past his eyes without imprinting on his mind. He kept thinking about Gelsomina, about how the orc had torn her away from him, and how she had trusted him, only to be betrayed by his inability to protect her.
Clutching the book in his hands, Leonardo made a decision. “I’ll find a way to save her. I have to. This is my story, and it won’t end like this.”
The next morning, Leonardo woke up with a single thought in his mind: finding a way to save Gelsomina. It was Friday, and like every Friday, he got ready to go to work at the library. However, this morning was different. Usually, his first thought was how long and boring the day would be, but this time, he couldn’t think of anything other than his mission.
Upon arriving at the library, Leonardo immersed himself in his tasks, but whenever he had a free moment, he sat at the computer and searched online for beginner guides and tutorials on Source Code. Despite his enthusiasm, he quickly realized that even the simplest guides seemed to be written in an unknown language. He had never been a gaming enthusiast, and aside from a few apps on his smartphone, he had no experience with virtual worlds or advanced game mechanics.
“I don’t understand anything…” he thought, but he refused to be discouraged. He kept reading guide after guide, even though the words seemed like an incomprehensible tangle of codes and rules. Despite the difficulty, his desire to save Gelsomina pushed him forward.
In the afternoon, while organizing books on the shelves, he saw the student who had given him her copy of Source Code walk in. His eyes lit up with hope. Maybe she could help him.
“Hi, Laura,” he greeted her with a smile.
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Laura, a young university student with brown hair tied in a ponytail and a consistently friendly demeanor, greeted him back, surprised that Leonardo had addressed her. It wasn’t something that happened often.
“Hi, Leonardo! Everything okay?” she asked, placing a couple of books on the counter.
“I’m fine, yes… but I wanted to ask you something. Would you mind talking for a moment in private?”
Laura looked at him curiously but agreed. “Sure, let’s go between the shelves.”
Once they were out of sight and earshot, Leonardo wasted no time and told her everything: about his experience in Encrypted, the Egg of the Guide that had hatched into a nymph, and how an orc had kidnapped her.
Laura listened attentively, without showing any sign of surprise when Aster mentioned the nymph. This detail struck Aster, who found her calm reaction rather odd. But with all the worries in his mind, he didn’t dwell on it too much.
“You’re not surprised that my Egg of the Guide hatched into a nymph?” he asked anyway, out of curiosity.
Laura smiled. “Let’s just say I’ve heard of it before. It’s rare, but not impossible. You’re lucky, you know? A nymph isn’t just any Guide of the Egg.”
“Not so lucky, I’d say…” Leonardo murmured. “I lost her.”
Laura thought for a moment, then said, “I’d love to help you personally, but I’m on a mission with my clan. However, there’s someone who might be able to lend you a hand.”
“Who?” Leonardo asked eagerly.
“A friend of mine, his name is Valantz. He’s an experienced and highly skilled player. If you tell him I sent you, he’ll definitely help you.”
“Really? Thanks, Laura! I owe you a huge favor,” Leonardo said gratefully.
Laura smiled, pleased with his reaction. “Don’t mention it, Leonardo. Good luck with your rescue, and say hi to Valantz for me.”
Back home, Leonardo waited impatiently for the Time to Respawn to expire. He tried to distract himself by reading a novel, but once again, the words on the pages felt empty. His thoughts were fixed on Source Code and Gelsomina. He kept picturing the playful smile of the little nymph and her radiant presence as she flew on her flower.
He glanced at the clock, counting the minutes. “I can’t wait to go back. Wait for me, Gelsomina. I’ll find you, wherever you are.”
When Aster opened his eyes again, he was still surrounded by the same darkness that had welcomed him at the moment of his virtual death. In front of him, the familiar floral screen glowed, displaying: Time to Respawn: 00:03:24
He sighed impatiently. “Three more minutes…” he murmured, his eagerness to return to the game making him restless. Unable to stay still, he began to explore that endless darkness, walking in all directions. But, just like the first time, he found nothing. Only that oppressive silence and an emptiness that seemed to stretch endlessly.
“No matter how much I run…” he thought to himself. “It’s like trying to find the edge of a dream.”
When the countdown finally reached zero, the darkness began to shift. The shadows around him shattered like glass, and in their place, a pure white light expanded, enveloping him completely. The floral screen changed, replacing the Time to Respawn with a new message: Log In.